Exploring
County Down

Original Official Site of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board

The Bronte homeland: The countryside between Banbridge and Rathfriland was
the homeland of the father and numerous uncles and aunts of the famous
Bronte novelists, Charlone, Emily and Anne. The ruins of the cottage
at Emdale, where Patrick Bronte was born, are preserved and two other
Bronte houses nearby are still lived in. The hilltop parish church and
school at Drumballyroney, where Patrick taught before going to
England, is on the 'Bronte homeland' route (signposted) and is the nucleus
of the Bronte Interpretive Centre.

The Bann river east of Banbridge descends from the Mourne
mountains through trout pools and winds along a lovely valley.
Take the Dromara/Castlewellan road (via Slieve Croob) for a wonderful
view across Dundrum Bay to the Mournes. Slieve Croob (1,775 ft.) forms
the centre of a little mountain range of its own, where Legananny
Dolmen stands on huge Stone Age legs. See the butterflies, insects
and reptiles at the Butterfly House in Seaforde.

St Patrick's Country: You can follow in St
Patrick's first footsteps on Irish soil: from the spot at Ringbane, on
Strangford Lough shore near Raholp, where he landed in A.D. 432, via
Saul where he preached his first sermon (in a barn) and made his first
convert, and Struell, where he blessed the Wells, to Downpatrick,
where he built a little church. Slieve Patrick hill has a huge statue
(with bronzed scenes from the saint's life) and the little Saul church
is a replica of an early Christian foundation with round tower.

Also near Downpatrick, ruined Inch Abbey is a Norman foundation
beautifully situated on the edge of the Quoile river. Quoile Pondage,
where the river joins Strangford Lough, is a freshwater nature reserve
with a visitor centre next to the 17th century ruined castle.

Strangford is a lovely village where the car ferry crosses the
narrow sea channel - the Viking name means 'violent fjord' owing to the
powerful current. There are no fewer than five small castles within a
few miles of the village - Strangford, Old Castle Ward, Audley's, Walshestown
and Kilclief - all well preserved and beautifully sited.

Castle Ward is the showplace of the lough shore: a magnificent
Georgian mansion (one facade classical, the other Strawberry Hill gothic)
filled with works of art and period pieces. There is an ornamental lake
with wildfowl, a temple and a lovely demesne (National Trust).

Strangford Lough has been described as 'the birds Piccadilly
Circus' because of the hundreds of thousands of migrant geese, ducks,
shore and sea birds that gather there in vast flocks at different seasons
of the year. It is the bird-watcher's dream and the yachtsman's too.

Killyleagh has a huge harbour, and a romantic castle, continuously
inhabited for eight centuries.

Rowallane Gardens are at Saintfield, not far from Killyleagh.
Maintained by the National Trust, they are specially famous for rhododendrons
and azaleas.

Lecale Peninsula is the little-visited region between Downpatrick
and the sea coast. Here is the attractive fishing port of Ardglass (with
seven small castles) and the old-world village of Killough, with
sycamore-shaded streets.

Dundrum, besides being an attractive little trading harbour in
a landlocked bay, has the dramatically sited de Courcy's Castle, built
by the Normans to dominate this part of County Down. Close by it are
Murlough sand dunes, where the National Trust has provided paths and
notice boards enabling the walker to learn about the flowers, birds,
geology and archaeology of an area whose surface shifts and changes.

Tollymore and Castlewellan Forest Parks These are both
near Newcastle, and Ireland has no more lovely or popular places. Each
was once a nobleman's demesne.

The National Arboretum at Castlewellan is one of the best in
the British Isles. Tollymore's river dashes over cascades and Castlewellan's
large lake provides pleasure boating and angling. Each forest park has
a cafe, exhibition hall and well equipped caravan and camp sites.

The Mourne Mountains give you two holidays
in one: for not only can you spend days rambling and exploring on the
heights, you can also linger in the fishing villages at their foot - Annalong,
Ballymartin, Kilkeel. Photographers and artists have inexhaustible
subjects. Others fish, bathe, golf, seek gemstones on the beach or in
the mountains, and enjoy the rich conversation characteristic of 'the
Kingdom of Mourne'. The Brandy Pad, Bloody Bridge, the Castles of Commedagh,
the Diamond Rocks - each direction has an irresistible lure. The wild,
moody and striking interior can be reached only by foot, but trails in
the park provide easy access without the need for hiking boots and backpacks.
Price: about US$3.20 per car.